Holiday tale: If there are angels...

A reader-submitted story

Posted
Thursday, December 21, 2017 11:08 am

By Lynn Stringfellow

“Christmas is coming. / The goose is getting fat. / Please put a penny / In the old man’s hat. / If you haven’t got a penny, / Then a ha’penny will do. / If you haven’t got a ha’penny / Then God bless you.”

– An old children’s rhyme

I met a homeless man the other day. He smelled of poverty and dog.

As we talked I learned he slept on the hard frozen ground of Taos in a tent with his dogs for company, comfort and warmth.

I remembered an extra comforter at home and asked if he could use it; I would bring it to him.

When he saw it, he hesitated.

“It’s a nice down-filled comforter and very warm, “ I urged.

“I’m afraid my dogs would tear it up to get to the feathers,” he explained. “Give it to someone who needs it more.”

I met a short, wren-brown-clothed woman at a charity give-away table. She had picked up a long, long garland of shabby white flowers. I offered her a grocery bag to stuff it in.

“I live in my car and I’m going to wrap it all around the outside to decorate for Christmas,” she smiled.

I don’t know if she has any pets to keep her warm in that flower bedecked icy car, but she will have a down comforter to snuggle under in her nest.

And if there are angels – there are angels – and if they skim, singing across this wondrous place nestled by sheltering mountains, I hope their sweet, high-pitched voices are heard – even if only by the dogs sleeping next to their people.